Help needed achieving guitar tone

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Doug,

You're right about the quality issue, but there's also trick #432. I have the audio output of my Mac set up so it feeds channels 3-4 on my Digi 003R. I can route anything I stream to those inputs and capture it in Pro Tools very easily.

Yeah, I do the same with video as well, but it's a lot easier if the poster will just check the "allow downloads" button. I don't see any reason most people asking for help on recordings shouldn't do that by default.

Definitely true that half the battle in matching someone's recorded sound is creating the sound in the first place, whether it's getting the tuning right or playing it well and with the same tone. In this case, I think the OP has that part down. Im still not convinced everyone's on the same page aesthetically - this is a GooGoo Dolls tune, right? Not exactly who I'd use as a reference for an acoustically pure tone. I can almost picture the studio session where they're trying to figure out how to "grunge up" the sound (they succeeded... :-))

[boing]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

With a small booth like that you are getting a lot of phase issue reflections. The acoustic foam you are using is not enough acoustic damping to prevent that. In a way the raw recording sound closer to the sound you wanted than the first recording is. However the main problem is that the sound is not clean (in this clip or in your original recording), and especially in the lower frequencies, so it is hard to work on to take it further without getting total mush. Get a clean, clear dry recording and then tweak that.

Here is a downloadable file for anyone interested: http://dcoombsguitar.com/Misc/AGFTEMP.wav

I really hear what you are talking about with my recordings coming out "mushy" on the low end. Do you suggest I try a difference mic or purchase bass traps to negate the low frequency problem?

[boing]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

this is a GooGoo Dolls tune, right? Not exactly who I'd use as a reference for an acoustically pure tone. I can almost picture the studio session where they're trying to figure out how to "grunge up" the sound (they succeeded... :-))

Absolutely is an older Goo Goo Dolls tune, but the rest of that record IMO sounds relatively raw (but they were mainly a rock band back then). In this case, I've come to the realization that my issues extend far beyond trying to emulate that environment, and as Rick pointed out, I need to experiment with what I have to get a clearer recording first, since my end goal is not to copy someone else in the long haul. I'd much rather get as natural a sound as possible out of my instruments for a majority of arrangements. Any other suggestions for the small 5x7 room? I just realized how "boomy" the room is!

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by boing

I really hear what you are talking about with my recordings coming out "mushy" on the low end. Do you suggest I try a difference mic or purchase bass traps to negate the low frequency problem?

Bass traps couldn't hurt but first take what you already have. It does sound like you are getting fret buzz on the guitar. See if the action can be adjusted to prevent that.

Experiment. Try playing and recording just the bass line with different mike placement within the room (the larger regular room, not the booth) and relative to the guitar. See what gives you the cleanest bass. Then when playing the actual piece keep your strumming lighter so that it does not overwhelm the bass and/or distort the sound in general. A lighter attack with attention to bringing out the bass line may give a cleaner result - you can always crank up the volume post recording.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by boing

Absolutely is an older Goo Goo Dolls tune, but the rest of that record IMO sounds relatively raw (but they were mainly a rock band back then). In this case, I've come to the realization that my issues extend far beyond trying to emulate that environment, and as Rick pointed out, I need to experiment with what I have to get a clearer recording first, since my end goal is not to copy someone else in the long haul. I'd much rather get as natural a sound as possible out of my instruments for a majority of arrangements. Any other suggestions for the small 5x7 room? I just realized how "boomy" the room is!

I'd suggest a larger room :-) There's lots of info on the web about room treatment if you're up for doing something to the room. Otherwise, close micing in a typical furnished living room often doesn't sound as bad as you might think. I'd start by getting out of that little box and seeing how a normal sized room sounds, preferably with 2 mics in stereo, then go from there to add whatever room treatment is needed.

[boing]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I'd suggest a larger room :-) There's lots of info on the web about room treatment if you're up for doing something to the room. Otherwise, close micing in a typical furnished living room often doesn't sound as bad as you might think. I'd start by getting out of that little box and seeing how a normal sized room sounds, preferably with 2 mics in stereo, then go from there to add whatever room treatment is needed.

I was looking at your performance: Jock O'Hazeldean, truly amazing and almost spine tingling sound you have there, what kind of setup for an arrangement like that if you don't mind me asking?

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by boing

I was looking at your performance: Jock O'Hazeldean, truly amazing and almost spine tingling sound you have there, what kind of setup for an arrangement like that if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks, glad you liked it! I record videos in a spare bedroom, 11x12, I think. It's untreated, basic carpet+drywall. I use a Zoom recorder, that video would have been the H4n (I recently upgraded to the H6), and a pair of Schoeps CMC6/Mk41 mics. I mix in my garage studio, which is heavily treated (and that's where I record things like CD tracks where I'm trying for better quality)

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

(I recently upgraded to the H6), and a pair of Schoeps CMC6/Mk41 mics.

I'm recording Ellis Woodward here this week. Yesterday we were shooting simple video clips for two different videos for his web site. I was XY micing Ellis and Joe with a pair of CMC641 boomed in as overheads…nothing else. On several occasions he said he really liked the way his guitar was sounding. I smiled and said, "It's the mics."

Regards,

Ty Ford